I am from Matilda (Cupie) and Albert (Baldhead) Souza, Agnes and Leonard Larson, Alberta Raynette and Robert Lee.
From Islands of the Azores, Puerto Rico and Hawaii. I am from Norway a village called Skanevik I am from Sweden to the high plains of South Dakota. I am from Southern California where the ocean greets your soul and sunshine melts your heart.
I am from generations of hard working people their story interwoven into my eternal essence. I am from farmers, fishermen, sugar plantation and pineapple field workers, the fragrance of sweet dirt pulsating with joy of plentiful harvest. I am from Pearl Harbor with chaos and tears and frighten souls that vowed to never let this happen again.
I am from corn and potato eating, red rice cooking, Portuguese sausage simmering, empanadas, pastelles making, lefse, and banana bread baking, grandmas that peppered the house with yummy food. I am from seamstress, knitters, quilters and whittlers, dry clean steamers, plumbers; inventors cooperate executives and unit secretaries.
I am from deeply religious people who care about life, Lutherans and Catholics Amazing Grace and How Great Thou Art. Bended knee with rosary beads with breath of prayers for those in need. I am from good Samaritans with hearts of gold with willingness to change to the world. I am from heroes, hula dancers and music makers; from singers and writers I am American with dreams as wide as oceans run deep.
I am from siblings who live in heaven, who’s watching with love from Gods pearly gates. I am from memories that live on forever, your name your face your beautiful traits. Cherished and remembered you’ll always be, your name is written in the stars and always forever in my heart. I am from the promise of eternal life, reunited will be, in the blink of eye.
I am from generations of great grandmothers, grandmothers and mothers, auntie’s and sisters who share womanhood in the most divine fashion. We carry the seeds of precious life and tend to the needs with great delight.
I am a woman a teacher a poetry maker, dancer, singer, songwriter and simply, a mover and shaker. The greatest gift that I can share; I am a mother, my seeds carry on, their dreams bigger then the sky and their hearts filled with hope. I am they, they are me and together we create the whole of all of those that have come before us.
I shall be remembered…